The Suprise of a Stranger
by AshesonFire
Summary: -HPOC- New girl comes to Hogwarts. She crashes the Welcoming Feast and intrugues the attentions of just about everyone at school. Somehow she is connected to Harry and Voldemort, and their eventual final battle.
1. Sleep Deprivation, Dreams, and Missions

Chapter 1: Sleep Depravation

Harry sat on his bed looking around his room. He was looking to see if he left anything. He did not own much. Only his school supplies, his broomstick, and the few clothing he had left from Dudley that were much too big for him. He jumped up and picked up his trunk by both ends and carried it out of the room and down the stairs and into the livingroom. His Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were sitting on the couch. Their son, Dudley, was no where to be seen. He suspected that he was out with his friends, bringing destruction and ruin to the neighborhood.

Uncle Vernon was going to London. Harry was going with him. He was going to Grimmuald Place, to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Finally, after being locked up with the Dursley's he was allowed to rejoin his wizarding community. Harry planned to have his Uncle drop him off at the train station in London, and walk or get on the bus to Grimmuald Place. Harry was terrified of going to Sirus's house. He hadn't been there since he died. He knew the Order of the Phoenix still used it. They sent for him to come, and he was going to join Ron and Hermione there, along with Ron's parents and siblings. Lupin would be there also.

The car ride to London was quiet. Uncle Vernon said nothing the entire trip. He dumped Harry out on the street with his trunk. Harry had forgot about his trunk. He would have to walk to Grimmuald Place with his trunk. So he picked it up and started walking. He knew where to go. He walked up to Grimmuald Place and said the address, and a house popped up out of the ground. No one knew it existed.

He walked into the from parlor and was greeted heartily by Mrs. Weasley. "Good morning, Harry. The trip good? No? Well too bad. I am sure you'd like some help with your trunk. I can help you take it up to your room. Ron is up there with Hermione. Come on." Harry walked up the stairs behind Mrs. Weasley. She led him to the same room in which he had stayed the last two times he was here. Mrs. Weasley moved so Harry could knock on the door, and Ron yelped, "Come in!" So, Mrs. Weasley put down Harry's trunk and told him goodbye. Ron opened the door and looked a little flushed. "Hey! Harry! Good to see you! See, Hermione? It's just Harry!" Hermione came to the door and hugged Harry. Then they moved aside to let Harry and his trunk pass.

"I've missed you guys. This summer was as boring as the last. Nothing strange or unusual though." Harry said as he flopped down onto his bed. He leaned over the bed and ran his hands through his hands through his raggedy hair. He sighed heavily. And leaned against the wall. "I just want to get to school, and play quidditch. Enough of this drama. I am so sick of it." Hermione said, "Do not worry. Only 3 more days. We still need your mom to get our school supplies, Ron. Then we'll be on our way to Hogwarts."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione visited for awhile and then went down to dinner when Mrs. Weasley called them. They stumbled down the stairs. The meal that Mrs. Weasley had prepared was delicious. Everyone was having polite conversations, but Harry was sitting at his place stabbing his food with his fork and barely eating anything. He was distracted, and everyone noticed.

"Harry, dear, why aren't you eating your dinner? Is it not good? Do you not like it? Because, if that is the case then I could fix you something else, if you want." Mrs. Weasley's voice drug Harry out of is dreams and pulled him back to reality.

"Uh..No. That's not necessary. It is really good, but I am not hungry. If you don't mind, I think I will excuse myself and go to bed." Mrs. Weasley nodded at Harry's words. He picked up his plate and cup and took them to the sink, and climbed the stairs to his room.

He opened the door, and gently closed it. He rested his head against the cool wood. He heard a sound from behind him. He turned around, but saw nothing there. He decided to go to bed. He changed into his pajamas, and climbed into bed. The trouble was, that Harry was not tired. He lay in bed until Ron came in. He closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. He did not feel like talking to Ron just yet. Ron changed and climbed into bed. And a little while later, Harry heard Ron snore peacefully in his deep slumber.

But, still sleep eluded Harry. He sat in his bed staring at the ceiling and watched light creep up on the room, until it was completely basked in light from the window. Ron awoke. He stretched and yawned. Once again, his pajamas were too small for him.

"Mornin' 'Arry." Ron said in a sleepy voice. Harry nodded and waved. Ron cocked his head and said, "You look like hell. Didn't you get any sleep last night?" Harry shook his head 'No.' Harry stood up and walked to the mirror. He did indeed look like hell. His hair was even more untidier than usual and he had big, dark circles around his eyes.

"Harry, are you okay?" Ron was standing behind him, changing. Harry shook his head. This only gave him a headache. Harry pressed his hand to his forehead. "What is it? It is your scar, again?" Harry shook his head 'No' again and said, "No. Just a headache. I am tired."

"Go to sleep then. I'll tell mum you didn't get much sleep and want to stay in bed." Harry answered Ron by falling into bed, and pulling the covers up over his head. He heard Ron leave the room, and walk down the hall and down the stairs. Harry listened for any other sounds. He didn't hear any. Finally, he slept.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_He was running. Down a winding staircase, through the pitch black corridor and up to a door. It was not locked. His cold, deathly white hand turned the knob on the door. He gripped it so tightly, that it seemed like his life depended on opening this door. Finally, he willed his arm to move to the right and open the door. He heard a _click_ of metal against metal, and knew that the door was open for him to pull back and walk right in, but something was holding him back. He gripped the door and willed with all his might to open and walk in, but he could not do it. Eventually his luck gave out, and his grip slackened on the door knob and turned to the left in his hand. He slammed his fists on the door, and yelled. Then he felt a dark void sucking at him, pulling him down into the abyss. He tried to hold firm to the door, but the door knob was slippery from his sweaty palms. He slipped and fell into the vortex. Lost, forever._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry woke with a surge. His chest heaved heavily from his latest dream. He looked all around him, and saw that ti was nighttime. Again. He heard someone coming up the steps to his room. The door knob turned and in walked Ron. "Hey. You're awake. That's good, we were starting to get worried. Dinner's ready. Wanna come down?" Harry nodded and pushed himself out of bed. He was starving. He quickly dressed and followed Ron down to dinner. When he walked in, everyone looked up at Harry and smiled. Tonight Mr. Weasley was sitting next to his wife along with his whole family. Tonks and Lupin were at the other end of the table deep in conversation after they were done looking at Harry.

Harry inserted himself in the empty seat beside Ron. Dinner was entertaining. Tonks once again changed her noses for the delight of the table, Molly was discussing how glad she was that her son cut his hair, Ron and Lupin were talking about Quidditch, and Arthur was talking to Fred and George about their business. Everything around Harry was perfect.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everything in Vyk's world was not perfect. Nothing was ever perfect, and if you made the mistake to think that it was then you would lose the most valuable thing you possess. Vyk was on a mission. She had to hunt down a leithfold, a cloaked creature that liked to feast on human skin. It had big, long claws for hands that he used to skin his victims. Vyk had been on many missions before, but nothing as dangerous as this. School started in two days. She had all of her supplies, but she did not know how long it would take to find and kill this leithfold.

Vyk crept through the underbrush of the forest. This creature was hard to spot, so she had to pay careful attention. If one of his claws pierced her skin, after a few minutes, her entire body would be paralyzed. But she would be conscious, while he skinned her and ate it.

She knew in the general direction this particular leithfold would be. In this forest near the mountain. He was housed in a cave in the mountains, and would hunt in the forest at night. Now all Vyk had to do was wait for him to come out of his lair. Vyk was on special assignment from Dumbledore. She was housed in Gryffindor. She had been going to Hogwarts since she was eleven, but she only went during the summer. During the school term she was on assignments for Dumbledore. At first they had been easy assignments, but then at the end of fourth year everything had changed. Voldemort was back and the missions were much more dangerous.

This was going to be the first year she went to school with other students. But she was confident that everything would be okay and she could find this leithfold before school and get on the train on time. Suddenly, she saw some movement out of the corner of her eyes. It was the leithfold.


	2. Hunting

Chapter 3: Hunting

After dinner everyone stayed around to talk. Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, and Ginny were washing the dishes. Harry and Ron and Mr. Weasley were going to do it the following night. Harry was still a little tired, but he was glad he was among friends. Tomorrow, Mrs. Weasley was going to go to Diagon Alley to go school supplies shopping, so everyone had best write down on their lists what extra things they wanted or needed. Ron had only wanted a few extra good quills, and Hermione wanted some new book. Harry asked for a bag of owl treats for his owl; Hedwig.

Harry and Ron filed up the stairs, to their room. They changed to their pajamas and got into bed. Tonight, however, sleep did not elude Harry. It was a peaceful slumber and just what Harry desperately needed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vyk followed the leithfold into the forest. She couldn't go after it though. She had to observe it and figure out why it here and not it its normal area. Dumbledore was relying on her for this and she could not let him down. Especially after what he had done for her, going out on a limb for her so she could continue her schooling during the summer so she could go on her top secret missions during the school exams.

Vyk walked stealthily behind the leithfold. It had a very acute sense of hearing and smell, so she had to be very careful as to not attract it's attentions before she was ready to. Vyk was wearing tan moccasin boots that hid the sound of her steps and made her tread softly. The rest of her attire consisted of a loose peasant shirt and an undershirt, and a pair of pants.

Suddenly the leithfold stopped in its tracks. It turned around violently, but Vyk darted into the trees to escape the eyes of the leithfold. It had very poor eyesight, but it used its other senses to compensate for his lack of eyesight. Vyk watched the leithfold wearily, but as soon as it had turned around it turned back and went back to trying to find whatever it was looking for.

Vyk followed it around the forest. She noticed that it only ventured a few hundred yards into the forest before it circled back to its cave. Vyk was tired and decided to make camp and write an owl to Dumbledore.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry woke up refreshed and relaxed. He, Hermione, and Ron were bored and had nothing to do. They were finishing up some last minuted Summer homework. Of course Hermione had already finished it, so she was helping Harry and Ron with theirs. "Hello? Can I get some help here?" Came a call from the foyer; it was Mrs. Weasley. Ron and Harry got up and went to help her.

"I saw Fred and George in Diagon Alley. They say "Hi" to everyone. Here," She started sorting through all the bundles she had and handed some to Ron and some to Harry. "Those were the things on your list. Go put them up now so you won't be hunting for them early tomorrow morning."

Harry and Ron bounded up the stairs and dropped their things on their beds. They unwrapped every parcel and started packing for their return to Hogwarts. This year they would be in their sixth year. When they received their school supply lists they also got their grades from their exams. Harry got an O in Defense against the Dark Arts, an A in Transfiguration, a A in Potions, and a few other good grades. He didn't do too well on his History of Magic exam or his Astronomy exam, but they were not important for what line of work he wanted to be in. Harry was tired and not hungry. He decided to go to bed early. Ron wanted to go to sleep too, so they went down to tell Mrs. Weasley they wouldn't be attending dinner and went to sleep.


	3. All aboard the Hogwarts Express or not

Chapter 4: All aboard the Hogwarts Express...or not.

Harry was woken up by two sharp tugs on his ear from Hedwig. He got up quickly from the moment of pain. Ron was still sleep, but just then there was a knock at the door. It was Mrs. Weasley shouting at them to wake up. Apparently this was the sixth time for her to knock on their door. Harry figured that Ron still hadn't heard her, so he shook Ron awake.

They dressed quietly. They were both still really tired. Hermione and Ginny were downstairs already, dressed and very..chipper was the word. Hermione had a book propped open and was reading in between gulps of food. She raised her glass to both saying "Hi." Ron waved while yawing and Harry nodded. Ginny was talking to her mom about her missing school clothes.

Harry laid his head down on the table, but George thumped him on the head so he could lay a plate of food down. Harry ate quietly and slowly. "Don't think I didn't notice. Eat up, quickly, now. I want to be off to King's Cross Station earlier than usual. Hurry up. Fred and George has already carried down your things. Get a move on now, Harry. Even Ron is done."

Harry pushed his plate back and stood up. He followed the rest of the gang out of the door. They were on their way to King's Cross Station.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vyk woke up refreshed. _Wait a minute! Today is the day I have to be at King's Cross Station. Oh no. What am I going to do? I'll just have to kill this leithfold quickly. Maybe I will make it on time, and if I don't I can always find a nearby house and use some floo powder to get to Hogwarts._

It was some time late in the morning. Vyk looked at her watch. It was almost ten a.m. She wasn't going to make it to King's Cross in time. Oh well, she'd just have to use some floo powder. She decided to wait for the leithfold to come out of it's cave, but that would normally take a long time. She opened a book and started reading.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry was settling into his compartment on The Hogwarts Express. He was sitting with Ginny and Neville since Ron and Hermione were up with the other prefects for the beginning of the trip. Harry wasn't sad that he was not a prefect, nor was he jealous anymore. He felt weighed down since his last talk with Dumbledore.

The train started moving at an easy pace, but gradually picked up speed. It wasn't long before Malfoy and his goons came in to harass Harry. Fortunately, Hermione and Ron were coming back and slammed the compartment door on his face.

"So, how's it goin' in here? I am still a little bit tired myself. D'ya mind if I take a nap? No, great." With those words Ron stretched out on the compartment floor. Hermione began reading her book again, and Ginny and Neville were talking about Herbology. So, Harry was sitting on his seat with no one to talk to. He stared out his window and watched the landscape unfold in front of him. It really was a beautiful sight. He'd never really looked at it before. He was glad that he was taking the time to watch it, not like he had anything else to do. He was still bored and quickly fell asleep.

----

Author's note:

Sorry, but I just wanted to thank the few people that have reviewed before. It gives me pleasure when someone reviews a story of mine. Since this is only my second fanfiction to write, I need all the help I can get. Thanks!

Ash


	4. Grand Entrances

Chapter 4: Grand Entrances

"Harry? Harry, you have to wake up now. We are almost to Hogwarts, and you still have to change into your robes. Come on, wake up." Hermione's voice said in his ear, trying desperately to wake him up. "Honestly, it is like trying to wake the dead." Hermione and Ginny laughed. Harry woke up, and put on his robes. Ron was still asleep, but Ginny kept kicking him and he kept flinching and saying things like, "Bad goose! Very bad goose!" Which made everyone laugh hysterically when he acted like he was talking to a goose.

Eventually, Ron woke up he was still tired and mumbling when the train pulled into Hogsmeade station. He hurriedly put on his robes while complaining that they shouldn't let him sleep so long and all the way. Harry ignored him and walked off the train. Hermione and Ron were behind him bickering about who knows what. Harry caught a carriage that he used to think were horseless, until we realized the thresterals pulled them.

Harry jumped into the carriage with Ron and Hermione behind him, still fighting. Harry zoned out of their droning voices and watched the landscape come to life with the lights of the carriage lanterns. "I did not know you didn't want to sleep that long. Really, you should have told me. Well, at least you'll be awake for patrol unlike most of the time where you are half asleep and stumbling down the hallways." Hermione had her book in her hand again, and was reading and arguing with Ron. "I am not half asleep and bumbling down hallways! I am always wide awake. Thank you, very much." Hermione laughed and said, "Right. And the time when you skipped the bottom step and hit the ground with your head. I suppose you were wide awake then. And how about the time when you ran smack into the wall and collided with a suit of armor? Oh yes, you are always wide awake." Ron turned scarlet, "Well..besides those times I am always awake." Hermione looked like she was going to say more and prove that he was hardly ever really awake, but Ron cut her off saying, "Okay. Fine, lets just leave it. We've been neglecting Harry with our fighting and you know how he gets about it..."

Harry looked over at Ron and almost laughed at his face. It was all squished up and wrinkled. Hermione looked apologetic, but Harry waved it off. "I am fine, and you have not been neglecting me. I've been thinking." Hermione and Ron looked at each other with the Oh-oh-That's-Never-Good look. But this made Harry laugh even harder. He shook it off and looked outside the window. He could see, out of the corner of his eyes, Hermione continuing to look at him, but she politely went back to her book. Ron stared at Harry, but when Harry turned to talk to him, he looked at Hermione.

"What?" asked Harry. "Hmm? Say somethin' Harry?" asked Ron nonchalantly. "You know what I mean. You were looking at me strange, and I don't like it. That was the face you used when Professor Trewalny told us about the Grim." Ron looked at Hermione with an Is-It-Okay-That-I-Tell-Him look. Hermione nodded, and Ron turned back to face Harry.

"It is just that we, Hermione and me, think that you are acting...strangely." Ron looked like he regretted what he said as son as he said it. Harry looked at him in shock. "What? _I_ am acting weirdly? _I_ am? What about you two? You two are always talking and looking at each other and..and..stuff." Hermione snorted, "Real elegant. But, that's beside the point. I realize that it was hard for you to stay in Sirus's house after he..died and all, but you were acting....different. Is there something else you know that we don't?" Harry was about to tell them about his last talk with Dumbledore, but he held back. He didn't want to tell them just yet. He shook his head and returned to looking out the window.

Suddenly the carriages stopped and the students began filing out and running up the steps to the school. He saw many people getting pelted with water balloons. Peeves had already done this trick in his fourth year. He thought he was getting soft, but he soon realized that the balloons were filled with pudding. Harry laughed as he tried to duck Peeves's balloons when he heard the drawling voice of Malfoy.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? Potty trying to duck one of Pevvessie's wittle bawoons? Well that is just too bad, boys, because look at what we have in store for you." He held up three balloons, one for Harry, one for Ron, and one for Hermione. "The only question is which one to use on who."

Hermione replied, "Whom. It is whom you dumb bouncing ferret." Malfoy blushed at his memory of being turned into a bouncing ferret just two years ago. "I know, I'll use this one, the one filled with custard cream. It's dreadfully hard to get out of your robes. Then I think I will use the raspberry one on your boyfriend, Potty here. And a chocolate cream one for the Weasel." But before Malfoy could launch a single balloon, Peeves pelted him on the face with the three kinds of creams and custards he had just named. Ron and Harry busted up laughing while Hermione lead them away tot he Great Hall.

"That was so funny! I cannot believe Peeves would do that. I mean, has he ever stuck up for a student before? Wow. That was so amazing." Ron was laughing up and down. The he sat at the Gryffindor table and started concentrating really hard. Harry knew what he was doing. He was trying to memorize everything that had just happened. "I think it had something to do with Fred and George's last words. He always liked them, he most likely tried to help you because he loved them so much." Hermione inserted. "Wow, look! The sorting's about to begin."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vyk saw the creature come out of the cave. She followed it, stealthily, into the forest. She hid in the underbrush and watched it. It stood uncertainly in the shadows. It seemed to be waiting for something. A man walked out into the clearing, and the creature greeted it. The man talked to the leithfold, if you could call it talking. The man was a Death Eater. She did not recognize this man, but she could tell by the tattoo on his left arm of a skull with snakes. Vyk got out a sketch pad and drew him so she could show Dumbledore when she got back to Hogwarts.

The man left and the leithfold started walking back to it's lair. Vyk ran to her camp and looked at her watch. It was after seven, and she should be at Hogwarts making friends and getting fat off the Welcoming Feast, but she was here tracking down a dangerous creature. She took her sword, _Nemiah,_ and belted it across her hips. Then she buckled in two daggers attached to her arms with leather sheaths. She stuffed the drawing of the Death Eater in her pocket and tied a sack of floo powder to her belt loop. Then she tapped her stuff with her wand and said the incantation for her stuff to disappear. When it disappeared she walked out into the open field and shouted to the leithfold, "Hey! Over here, you big over grown freak!" The leithfold paused and then turned around. It snarled at her and lifted its arms and charged. Vyk released her daggers and threw them at his head. One landed in it's forehead and the other in its heart. The creature looked shocked and then in pain. It fell to it's knees and let out a horrible wail. Yvk covered her ears with her hands. When it seemed like the terrible sound had stopped, she let go of her ears and walked to the creature. She took out her daggers and replaced them in their sheaths. Suddenly the terrible wailing started again and Vyk looked up to see where it was coming from. At the mouth of the cave there was another leithfold wailing out of sorrow for it's lost mate. It turned it's beady little red eyes upon Vyk and released a horrible howl or rage and frustration. Vyk threw a dagger at her, but it deflected it and it struck a tree. Vyk threw the second one, and it caught it between it's claws and threw it to the ground. Vyk was scared, and started running. The leithfold wasn't as fast as Vyk, so she could outrun it. Vyk ran intot he forest and to the wizard house where she could start a fire and go to Hogwarts.

When she reached the little shack she broke into it and started a fire. She threw a pinch of floo powder on it to get it started. Then she ducked into it and grabbed a handful of floo powder from her purse, and dropped it on the floor. She had the floo powder in her hands, when the leithfold entered the shack. Vyk shouted into the fire, "HOGWARTS!" And vanished without a trace into the roaring flames.

Vyk stepped out of the fire place. She was standing in the middle of the Great Hall behind the staff table. Everyone was staring up at her. Apparently she had interrupted dinner.

-----

Author's Note: I wrote this chapter two times, the first time it was deleted and it was over seven pages long. It had more to do with Vyk, than with Harry. I am glad it got deleted though, because it would have been too long and lengthy and not good. Hope you enjoy and keep reading the chapters to come.


	5. Charging Confusion

Chapter 5: Charging Confusion

Vyk looked at all the stunned faces staring back at her. Vyk felt a hot steam of air behind her. She turned around and saw that the fire was still roaring and green. That wasn't supposed to happen, so it could not be good. She saw something tall and grey materializing in the fire. The leithfold's head and torso came out of the flames. Vyk backed up a few paces until she could see the leithfold fully glaring at her. Vyk drew her sword and was preparing to fight it, when the leithfold charged her. Vyk barely had time to move out of it's way. She swung and collided with the beast. _Thud! _The beast roared and flipped its angry head and charged again. Vyk didn't have any time to move and had no where to go, so she thrust her sword into the belly of the beast. The beast was not dead though. It scratched her arms and stomach before it finally closed it's eyes and slackened to the floor. Vyk felt numb and fuzzy. She looked around the Great Hall and back at all the staring confused faces. She gasped with pain and sagged on the wall for support. She slid down the wall and landed in a piled heap. She saw Dumbledore leaning over her and talking with some of the other teachers. Some of the older students had surrounded the teachers. Vyk tried to breathe, but was paralyzed and could not make her lungs constrict. She saw a distinct face in the crowd and tried to smile before the darkness engulfed her.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry was eating dinner and trying to convince Ron not to quit Qudditch. He heard a big bang and looked up to the fire. It was green and a girl stepped out. She was very pretty. She had long hair that was braided and fell to her shoulder blades. She was wearing mens clothing and had a sword slung about her hips. She looked frightened and confused, almost like a rabbit. The fire was still glowing green, and should have died out by now, but something else came through the flames. Harry had no idea who this girl was, but she seemed different than most of the other girls he had ever met. She stepped back, and watch a hideous beast come out of the emerald flames. It was one of the ugliest things Harry had ever seen. It was tall and bald with long nail-like claws that were very sharp. It's pasty grey skin glowed with the flickering fire. It looked at the girl and became angry; evidently, the girl had done something to piss it off. The girl unsheathed her sword, and the creature charged, but the girl easily dodged it. The monster charged again, but she had no where to turn so she faced it head on.

She plunged her sword straight into it, but the creature fought for it's life by slashing her up on her arms, face, and upper body. The creature fell in a heap on the floor and the girl was grasping for life. Dumbledore rushed to her aid, and so did all the prefects and Harry. He was leaning over her and saw her stare up at him. Her piercing blue eyes clouded over to a dark blue and closed. Her lifeless body hit the ground with a thud. Dumbledore held all the students at bay by making them go to their dormitories, with their head of house leading them to their respected common rooms and lock the doors so no one could go out without a teacher going in to retrieve them.

Harry sat in the common room with the rest of his house and wondered why Dumbledore would do something so un-Dumbledore. The only other time, he had done something so weird was in third year when Sirus Black had entered the castle and attacked the portrait. This time they were being locked up in their dormitories for no apparent reason other than the girl who stepped through the flames. Harry looked over at Ron and Hermione, Ron was writing something and Hermione was back to her book. Harry looked back at the door, and it suddenly swung open. Professor McGonnagal stepped through and looked around the common room in one sweeping glance. "Ah. Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Granger, would you care to come with me, please?" Ron and Hermione stood up started walking towards the door. Harry looked at Ron quizzically and he shrugged his shoulders in a "Dunno" gesture. Harry watched as his two best friends walk out of the door. _Ron and Hermione were prefects, so that is probably why they were taken out of the room and with Professor McGonnagal._ _But what if they weren't?_


	6. Meetings

Chapter 6: Meetings

Vyk was horizontal, lying on a bed somewhere, and she had no idea how she got there, but she felt like she was wrung out to dry and pinned up on a clothesline left out to dry in the wind. She looked around and saw a lady with her back to her, humming softly to her self. She swiftly turned around, as if she could sense Vyk watching her, and said, "Ahh. The little patient is awake, which is good. You are a strong young woman to fight off the poison in those deadly long nails of that horrid beast. Here, drink up, it will help you feel not so much pain. You have so many cuts, but I fixed you up as well as I could on the outside." Madame Pomphry handed her a cup with some dark liquid inside, but Vyk hesitated to drink it. She wanted to talk to Dumbledore, but he was no where in sight. She had to give him the picture of the Death Eater, but she couldn't just get up and walk to him because she had no idea where he was at the moment.

The door opened, and in walked Dumbledore followed by Professor McGonnagal and two students, a boy and a girl. The boy had fiery red hair and a confused look on his face, and the girl had bushy brown hair and looked quite relaxed and composed. "Poppy, you wouldn't mind if I talked to Miss. Locke? Thank you, and don't worry we will only be a few minutes and I will make sure she drinks whatever is in her cup that I know she is avoiding." Madame Pomphry bowed her head and exited the room by a side door.

"Now, Vyktoria, I know that it has been rough these last few days, but I asure you that all your questions will be answered. Please, let me introduce the prefects of Gryffindor: Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. We may talk freely here, and whatever is said here will not be repeated without Vyktoria's permission, got that you two?" Ron and Hermione nodded their heads, Vyktoria could see that both of them were confused.

"What did you find out?" It was a simple question from a simple man. Vyk reached her hand to her pocket, but she wasn't wearing her clothes anymore, instead she was wearing a pair of pink pinstriped pajamas. "Uhh.." she began, but she needed water. Dumbledore handed ehr a glass of water to soothe her throat; she drank it gladly and when her throat didn't feel as dry and coarse anymore she began to speak:

"In my pocket in my shirt, there is a drawing of a man who met with the leithfold in the forest on the third day. I could not hear their conversation, but I drew who he was. You can see by the drawing that he is a Death Eater, but I don't recognize him. Maybe, perhaps you could? After the meeting, I went back to the leithfold's lair and killed him. The beast that followed me through the fire was it's mate. I didn't know it had a mate, and I am sorry to bring it here and disturb your feast, but I didn't know what else to do, so I just..." Dumbledore held up his hands and said, "That is enough, I don't need you to get all worked up or I would ahve to deal with Poppy. Thank you, and it's fine, you are not in any trouble with me. You will start your classes tomorrow with the rest of the school, but you must keep quiet about this for I am sure that the whole school will be buzzing with your grand entrance. I must retire to my office, Minerva, these children can remain and talk, but must return to their common rooms before lights out." Dumbledore shook Vyk's hand and swept out of the room, with Professor McGonnagal behind him. Vyk let out a sigh and fell back onto the bed.

"What?" She looked over at the two teenagers present in the room with her. Hermione nudged Ron who couldn't stop staring at Vyk. "I guess introductions should be first, but it seems Dumbledore has ruined that plan. I am Hermione Granger, and he's Ronald Weasley. Call him Ron though, he doesn't like Roanld. He has awfully bad manners and has forgotten that it is rude to stare." She nudged Ron and he came out of his trance. Vyk laughed, "I am Vyktoria Locke, but if you call me Vyktoria I will hurt you, so call me Vyk; I find that it suites me better." Hermione laughed along with Vyk.

"I am so exhausted, the day has been endless. Do you mind, if I just go to sleep?" Hermione smiled and replied, "Of course not, come on Ron, lets go." Hermione stood up and walked to the door, but Ron was still sitting beside Vyk. "Ron!" She shouted. Ron jumped up and said, "What? Huh? I wasn't doing anything this time Hermione, I swear!"

"That, Ron, was the point." Hermione held the door open for Ron to walk through. His face was bright red as he walked out of the door, and Hermione proceeded him. Vyk sighed again, and turned over onto her stomach. _Finally, I can get some sleep now._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry stayed awake for Ron and Hermione to come back, but they took longer than he expected, and he fell asleep in his chair. He was awakened by Ron, who was shaking him with a sloppy smile on his face. "Harry, you won't believe what we just found out, and you won't believe how good it is to be a prefect!" Hermione pushed him and he fell back on the couch.

"I don't understand why you are so giddy, she is just a person like you or me or Harry." By these words Harry was fully awake and very confused. "What do you mean _she?_"

"Oh man, remember that girl who crashed the Welcoming Feast? Well, you won't believe it, but we met her!" Ron did a little happy dance with his fists jabbing the air and jumping up and down. "But it's cool, not that big of a deal, I mean she is just a girl with long brown hair and beautiful blue eyes, and freckles across her nose." Ron's eyes glazed over, he was in his happy place.

"Ron, as I have said before, you are shallow and you cannot judge someone by their looks, she could be the meanest, nastiest person alive, even worse than Malfoy." Hermione always told Ron this, but once again he was not listening. Harry was still confused, and was at a loss for words. Hermione saw this, and attempted to explain, "I am not saying that she is mean, from what I concluded she was very nice and polite, but she was kind of out of it which is expected from the paralysis she had just experienced."

Harry was more confused that ever, so he stood up and walked to his room without saying goodnight. _Is it just me, or do they get stranger and stranger by the day?_

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----

Author's Note: The leithfold was a creature in the Fantastic Beasts and where to find them, and it was a cloak-like creature, but I got the way it looks from Buffy. I was not "ripping" them off, because the only things they have similar are the skin color and the claws. That's it, the beast in Buffy was named something else entirely. But I will say that that creature gave mine some inspiration.


	7. The Proper Way to Greet a Malfoy

Chapter 7: The Proper Way to Greet a Malfoy.

Vyk awoke the next day still a little groggy from the medicine she drank, but felt well enough to go to the Great Hall for breakfast. She was standing in the hallway, wearing her school robes, but not wanting to go inside. She was never good at making friends, and she probably wasn't likely to start now. Many students were inside already, and the ones who were coming down or up the stairs were staring at her like some freak that didn't belong. Vyk was about to walk back to the nurse's office, when she heard someone calling out to her from behind.

"Hey, Vyk! Do you remember me from last night?" It was Hermione, she was walking down the stairs with Ron and another boy that she saw last night just before she blacked out.

"Of course, you are Hermione Granger, and he is Ron Weasley, and I don't know him, sorry. Did I meet him last night, because if I did I am dreadfully sorry. I have the worst time remembering people's names." Vyk kept rambling on and on, but no one seemed to care. Hermione shook her and said, "No, you didn't meet him. This is one of my good friends, Harry Potter." Vyk shook his hand and replied out of courtesy, "Nice to meet you, Harry Potter." Harry looked like a sad dog, and it made her laugh.

"Were you going inside for breakfast, because if you were, you could eat with us, if you like." It was Hermione speaking now, but Ron still hadn't said anything. Vyk nodded and walked inside the Great Hall beside them. Vyk was watching her feet, instead of looking up and her long brown hair was covering most of her face, because she didn't want anyone to see her just yet.

Suddenly Ron stopped and made Vyk run into his hard back, she shook her head to get rid of the nauseousness she was feeling from running into him and what was left over from the disgustingly sweet medication she had been forced to drink earlier that morning. She didn't know why they had stopped, and she wasn't going to ask to find out. She tilted her head to the side of Ron to look past him, and she saw a group of people wearing green and silver glaring at Hermione, Harry, and Ron. Obviously they hadn't seen her yet, and she hoped to keep it that way. She was supposed to be a Gryffindor, but did not feel brave enough to help these people who were the only ones to talk to her, as of yet.

Vyk felt someone walking up behind her, but didn't turn around to see who it was. She felt a hand at her elbow, so she looked up at a face that she couldn't place. He smiled at her, but it was not a happy smile or a Welcoming smile, it was cold and lifeless, just as she suspected this man to be.

"Get your filthy hands off of her, Malfoy." Harry was talking to the man at her side. _So he is called Malfoy. Odd name, really._

"Don't think I will, Potter, and if I did I wouldn't do it because you told me so." Said Malfoy. Vyk felt like she was going to be sick, so she turned around to leave, but he still had a hold of her arm. "Where do you think you are going, I'm not done with you, yet." Malfoy sneered. Vyk wanted to leave, but couldn't think of how to nicely, so she did the only thing that she could; she kneed him in the groin, and fled to the nearest bathroom and threw up.

-----

Author's Note: Sorry about the short chapter, but I was kinda stumped about how to go further, but I have a few ideas brimming on the surface. Not much of a cliffie here, but you'll see what Malfoy does in the next chapter. Big Grin

Ash


	8. Help is Always a Good Thing

Chapter 8: Help is Always a Good Thing

Harry saw Vyk go to kick Malfoy, but didn't bother to stop him, because he deserved it. No one should mess with that girl, she'd already taken on that weird beast just yesterday. She must be tired and drained, that was how he always felt after fighting any one, but his was always at the end of the year and after exams, so he had time to recover, but she didn't. He felt sorry for her and wanted to help her, but Hermione said that she would handle it and they should go eat, and Ron was hungry so they did.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vyk poured over the toilet basin, with her hands bracing the sides for support. Someone rushed inside the bathroom and called out her name, it was Hermione. Vyk groaned and threw up again. Hermione rushed inside the stall, and looked Vyk over with pity. She stepped forward and pulled back Vyk's hair and held it out of the way for the nothingness spewing from her mouth. There was nothing to give up, besides her medicine and it immediately made her feel dizzy and out of it.

Whern Vyk felt finished she sat back against the wall with Hermione still holding her hair, Vyk wiped her mouth on her robes and looked up at Hermione. Hermione looked disgusted but didn't move, she was acting like they were friends. Vyk laughed at her expression and smiled.

"You don't have to be here doing this for me, you know. I'm not complaining, or anything, but you don't..." Vyk looked away from Hermione's pleading face. Hermione stood up and simply said, "I am here because I want to."

"Vyk walked her hands up the wall so she could stand. She hobbled over to the sink and washed her mouth out with water, and cleaned her robes with a simple spell. "So, how did that Malfoy react to me and what I did.." Vyk started laughing in the middle of her sentence, and Hermione joined in too.

"He looked like he couldn't believe that you actually did that to him. When I left, he was sprawled on the ground, writhing in pain." Hermione was continuing to laugh, as she started walking to the door. "Are you still hungry for Breakfast? I imagine not, but the offer is still open." Vyk shook her head no at Hermione's question, and followed her out of the bathroom.

"No, not so much any more. I don't really understand what Malfoy wanted with me, because I sure have not done anything to him. I have only talked to you three, besides Dumbledore." Vyk asked more to herself than to Hermione, who just shrugged her shoulders. They walked back to the Great Hall, and sat down at the Gryffindor table along with Harry and Ron, who were eating like there was no tomorrow. Vyk could not believe that someone could consume food as quickly, or as much, as teenage boys did. Vyk looked at the empty plate in front of her, and then at the overfilled plates of the people surrounding her. Vyk looked at her schedule and it had Transfiguration, Arithmancy, and Double Potions all in the same day; Monday.

Vyk had always hated Mondays, and she had no idea why. Maybe it was because she had school on those days, but she liked school so she still didn't understand why. Hermione showed Vyk her schedule, and they had the same classes, and so did Harry and Ron, but they had Divination instead of Arithmancy. Vyk nodded and sighed, she was already tired and it wasn't even first period, she could tell that this was going to be a long day.

----

Author's Note: I know I said that you would find out what Malfoy does, but that is going to happen later. No cliffie this time, but a bit of foreshadowing. I am going out of town on Saturday, so not new chapters for awhile, sorry. I hate vacations..gir...take me away from my writing. Okay, thanks for reviewing and keep burning.Ash


	9. Blood Connection

Chapter 9: Blood Connection.

Vyk and Hermione walked side by side to Transfiguration, tagging along behind Ron and Harry. Ron was going into a detailed description of a quidditch game and Harry was listening, but didn't really act like he was paying attention.

"It's good to have a girl to talk to. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Ron and Harry, and I have Ginny, but you aren't like them. Ginny is younger than I am and we don't have the same interests, but we get along fine." Hermione sounded appreciative of Vyk's presence, and before Vyk knew where they were, they walked into the Transfiguration classroom. Professor McGonnagal was sitting at her desk waiting for the students to file in.

The deputy headmistress talked awhile about O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s before telling them their assignment, which was to transfigure a chair into an animal. Hermione completed the task first by the chair turning into a dog, which was expected, but it came to a real shock when Vyk completed it second with a horse standing next to her. The professor congratulated both Hermione and Vyk and gave them five points each for beating a record time. Harry and Ron finally managed to transfigure their chairs properly, but couldn't get them back to being a chair.

Hermione and Vyk left for Arithmancy, while Ron and Harry went to Divination. Hermione went on talking about Professor Vector, but Vyk wasn't paying attention because she had a really bad headache and felt dizzy again. They walked in and sat down, Vyk dropped ehr head on the table with a little too much force, and bounded back up because of the searing pain behind her eyes.

"Are you alright? Because you don't look so great. Maybe you are still sick and should go to the hospital wing." Hermione looked at her filled with concern. But Vyk just shook her head, which made it hurt even more. She felt something wet dribble down her finger tips, and heard Hermione gasp.

"Professor Vector, my friend needs to go to the hospital wing, may I take her?" Hermione stood up and asked the teacher, and he looked at Vyk and nodded his head. Hermione grabbed Vyk and hauled her out of the class and to the hospital wing. When they reached it, Vyk's hand was bleeding freely and was holing her robes to her hand in an attempt to staunch the blood, but it was futile.

Madame Pomfrey rushed over to Vyk and pulled her onto a bed to sit down, she surveyed her hand and asked Hermione something, but Vyk couldn't hear anything. She wasn't paying attention to anything, she felt a big wave come over her and blacked out for the second time in two days.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry felt bad, and he didn't know why, maybe it was the room. It was boiling hot inside Professor Trelawney's room, and Ron was still going on about the same quidditch match. Harry laid his head down on the table and groaned. He still felt bad, and Ron asked him if he was okay. Harry turned and cut his hand on the table. He sucked in some air, and Professor Trelawney rushed over to see what was happening.

"You had best go to the hospital wing, Mr. Potter. You wouldn't want that to get infected. It's a shame too, because class has barely even started. Go on, go on." Harry didn't need to be told twice to leave, so he grabbed his books and climbed down the ladder and walked to the hospital wing. He walked inside and saw Hermione standing there beside Vyk, and Madame Pomfrey was trying to mop up a severe blood flow from her hand, but she was laying on the bed, unconscious. Harry looked down at his hand, and at Vyk's hand, and then back to his own hand. _Something's not right. How could this happen? I mean I cut my hand and it started bleeding, and her hand is bleeding. What does this mean?_

----

Author's Note: Sorry, I couldn't resist adding another chapter, and I will update when I get back from vacation on the 20th. I have no use of a computer where I am going. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, keep reviewing. Ash


	10. Words of Confusion

Chapter 10: Words of Confusion

"Harry! What are you doing here?" Harry looked at Hermione as she said this. He knew he looked stupid gawking at Vyk's hand like that, but he couldn't stop. Hermione was talking to him, but he couldn't hear anything besides the blood in his ears. Hermione waved her hand in front of his face to get his attention, and suddenly the gushing blood subsided.

"What happened to your hand?" Hermione was holding his hand in both of hers and examining it. Harry pulled his hand out of hers and held it with his other hand, he looked at her fearfully; he looked like he didn't recognize her. He braced himself against a wall and slid down it, he landed in a heap on the floor. He felt a searing pain in his forehead and heard an explosion and his dad saying, "Take Harry and go!" and the horrible night of when Harry's parents died came back into his head.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Two students with the same wound, and both out cold. I don't know, what does this mean Albus?" Came a hushed voice from a lit chamber at the end of the hospital wing. It was Madame Pomfrey speaking to the headmaster, Vyk could recognize their voices anywhere. Vyk turned over, wondering who the second person was who had an identical cut on their hand. She saw a boy laying half in the shadows, but wide awake. _Neither of us are out cold._

"Hey." Vyk whispered to the boy in the next bed. He turned to face her, and she saw Harry Potter.

"Harry? What're you doing here? You don't...do you?" Vyk couldn't believe her eyes, Harry had the identical cut on his hand. _What's going on? Surely this has to be a coincide. He probably cut his hand on a table or something. But, then how did I cut mine? This makes no sense. I have to get out of here, but I want to listen to what Dumbledore has to say._

"I do not know their connection, but I do know that Vyk has something to do with Harry. Harry's Patronus is a stag, while hers is a doe. Whatever this is, it is not a coincide. Poppy, I have to go, I have a meeting with my dear old brother who was expecting me more than five minutes ago." Dumbledore walked out of the hospital wing and Vyk heard his retreating footsteps. She didn't want to look at Harry, she'd thought this just a coincide, but now she knew that it wasn't. Vyk tilted her head to the side, to look at Harry, but he was staring at the ceiling obviously not wanting to speak to her. Vyk put her feet over the side of the bed and sat up, she reached her hands onto the ground looking for her shoes. She found them and put them on, and stood up. She had no where to go, but she left the hospital wing anyway.

She walked along the hallways of the school, not knowing where she was going or doing. She saw a staircase in front of her, and decided to climb it no caring where it took her or if she got lost. She heard a creak behind her, and turned around violently searching for the person who had made the sound, but to her surprise no one was there. She turned back around, and continued up the stairs. She walked along an unlit corridor trailing her feet behind her, when she heard a thump. She whirled around, but yet again, no one was there. And even if someone was there, she wouldn't be able to tell because it was dark and she couldn't see her hand that was five feet in front of her. She closed her eyes and pushed outward with her senses to penetrate the blackness, and someone was there in front of her.

"Malfoy." She said confused. She felt two hands brace her and—

---

Author's Note: Haha! I've got a cliffie. It's a weird one. It feels so much better to write again. This chapter was hard to write, but hope you review and tell me what you want to happen, because I don't know what will happen. I am writing it as I go along. You can email me, or submit it in a review, but if you don't tell me what you want to happen...I'll just have to use my sucky ideas and bore you to death. Heh. Keep Burning.Ash


	11. Pillow Talk

Chapter11: Pillow Talk

–and pushed her against the stone wall roughly. Vyk cried out in pain when the two hands pushed her harder against the wall and there was no where to go. A angry voice hissed at her, "You humiliated me in front of my friends and enemies, you used physical force against me, and that means I will just have to use physical force to humiliate you."

Vyk still couldn't see him, but she knew it was Malfoy pining her against the wall, he was stronger than he looked, but the pain in her arms and back just kept escalating. She was sure that she already had bruises to show. Suddenly his nails dug into her skin and she felt something wet trickle down her flushed skin.

"Wha- what..."Vyk began to ask, but Malfoy pushed her up with his body and she fell quiet. She was sure there were tears in her eyes already because the pain was unbearable. Summoning her strength to her arms, she pushed the invisible woe away from her and ran down the hall. She didn't think about where she was going, or ow loud she was, she just ran as fast as she could away from him. She found herself outside the hospital wing, she quickly threw open the door and ran inside. She heard him behind her, so she closed the door and leaned against it. She sighed heavily and quickly, and realized she wasn't alone in the room; Harry was there.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry watched Vyk leave the room, and watched her return breathing quickly. She was out of breath and looked around her weary.

"What's wrong?" He asked full of concern. He hadn't wanted to talk to her before, after Dumbledore had talked, but he had a feeling that she wasn't okay. Vyk glanced at him and looked away, she walked to the bed she was in earlier and sat down. She said something that he couldn't hear while she took off her shoes.

"Sorry, didn't catch that." Harry said. Vyk turned to face him and replied, "Oh, umm..nothing. Do you know why Malfoy hates me so much? I know I...hurt him, but that isn't really any reason to hate someone, is there?"

"Malfoy is different from you and me; he doesn't think like we do. He probably hated you from the beginning because you are a Gryffindor and he's a Slytherin, and you kicking him there didn't help." Harry looked at her concerned still. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, it's just...nothing I guess..Someone attacked me and I thought it was Malfoy, but it couldn't be him because I didn't see him. But I felt him..am I making any sense?" Vyk looked at him fearfully, but Harry didn't know how to answer her question, so he just shrugged his shoulders.

"I dunno, I mean I know you can be invisible like a potion or an invisibility cloak, but I don't think Malfoy is smart enough to make the potion or have an invisibility cloak, he would have used, and he hasn't...or at least to my knowledge." Harry looked at her again, but she was staring off into her own world. Harry snapped his fingers.

"Hello? Anybody home?" He laughed as she blinked rapidly a few times and looked over at him. "Sorry," she said. "I was gazing off, I do that sometimes. I ...I wanted to ask you about my hand..your hand, too..I guess." Vyk looked down at her bandaged hand and started peeling at the bindings.

Harry looked down at his hand too. "I don't know, it's weird don't you think?" Vyk nodded. They were both silent for a moment, but Harry broke the silence. "You can do a patronus?" He sounded surprised at the statement. Vyk smiled secretly, "Yeah. It's a doe, she runs them down with her hoofs. I did it in my...third year. Some dementors found me, and thought I was Black, and I had known how to do them before, but I didn't know if I could really do it. I dunno, it just sort of happened." She was rambling, he could tell, but he didn't care. He liked sitting there talking to her. She was nice and funny with her words and little quirks. He didn't know her that well, but he could tell that he liked her.

Madame Pomfrey walked in and stopped dead in her tracks. "You two have been awake?! You should have been asleep and resting! Mr. Potter, I would have expected better behavior from you!" Harry and Vyk said their apologies and Madame Pomfrey walked away muttering something under her breath.

Harry and Vyk glanced over at each other and laughed. Vyk smiled and started playing with a string on her pillow. A big boom resounded from the hallways and many screams of awakened people from the racket. Harry andVyk rushed from the room to look at the major scene.

----

Author's Note: I published this first with Vyk's name to be Aryn which is in another story I am writing. I feel really stupid, I think I am turning into a blonde, because just yesterday I walked all the way to Blockbuster without the movies. Duh! I am stupid.


	12. Firelight and Scars

Chapter 12: Firelight and Scars

Harry looked down at the wreckage that used to be a knight. Peeves and Filch were at it again. Apparently, Peeves had been throwing sharp objects at Mrs. Norris, and almost killed her several times, much to Harry's dismay that it was only almost. So, in retaliation, Filch had been chasing him down, but Peeves threw him into a suit of armor. Vyk had been standing next to Harry calmly the entire time, but she turned and started to walk back to the hospital wing.

"If you two are awake, there's no point in you staying." The older hospital woman said. "Go back to your common rooms, and try to get to sleep there if you can." So, Harry and Vyk did the only thing they could do; they walked back to their common room quietly without any words said between them. The atmosphere of the hospital wing and their closeness had disappeared as soon as Harry had seen the look on her face when she heard the crash and clang of the armor. Harry led the way to the common room, since she had never been there before. He climbed the many staircases and finally stopped short in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Dragon's Blood." he said quickly, remembering the password. The Fat Lady yawned and swung open. It was pretty late, so not many people were in the common room still, but Ron and Hermione were. Ron was building a tower out of Exploding Snap cards, and Hermione was reading. When Vyk followed behind Harry, the door closed with a snap, and made Hermione glance up quickly to see who it was. She glanced back down, and back up again with wide eyes.

"You're back! Ron, their back!" She jumped out of her chair and threw both arms around Harry's and Vyk's neck. Vyk made a choking sound, and pulled on her arm to let some air flow into her lungs. Harry looked a her sympathetically, and shook his head. She smiled and rolled her eyes. Ron left his game and placed his hand firmly on Hermione's back.

"Come on Hermione, we don't want them going back to the hospital wing again, now do we? How ya doin' Harry? You okay?" He didn't say anything to Vyk, let alone look at her. Vyk stared at the ground, and pulled on her sleeves. Harry smiled lamely at Ron, but didn't answer his questions. He sat down in a big armchair next to the fire, and both Ron and Hermione followed, but Vyk stayed by the door alone.

"Vyk! Come on!" yelled a giddy and excited Hermione. Vyk looked uncertain and muttered something like she was tired, so Hermione hopped up and took Vyk away to the girl's dormitories. Harry used this as an opportunity to talk to Ron, alone.

"Hey, why are you treating Vyk so badly? She didn't do anything to you." Harry was staring at him intensely, and Ron's ears were bright red.

"She didn't do anything. I don't trust her, I don't know why I don't, but I...ugg. It's just..Hermione, and she likes her so much. She's the first real female she's had here." Ron replied. Harry looked stunned. "Hermione?" he questioned. "What does Hermione have to do with this?" Ron looked up at Harry, and Harry understood. Ron liked Hermione. But why couldn't he be friendly to Vyk too? But, as soon as Harry was about to ask Ron about it, Hermione showed up and plopped down in the seat next to Ron. Harry saw Ron shiver, but Hermione hadn't seemed to notice.

"So...whatcha been talking about? Vyk was tired so she went to sleep. I think I'll go soon, right after I finish this chapter." Hermione looked exuberant still. Ron jumped up when his game suddenly exploded on him, and made a huge black smear on his cheek. Harry laughed at him, and Hermione was clutching her stomach in laughter too. Ron's ears reddened and he laughed along with them. "I think I'll go to bed too, mate. See ya in the morning, Hermione." Ron brushed his hand at his cheek in an attempt to wipe the soot of his face, but it didn't really work. Hermione closed her book, and said, "Finished. That was easy, okay, I'm turning in too. Going to sleep yet, Harry?" Bur Harry shook his head, and Hermione left. Harry looked around the now empty common room, it seemed much bigger without everyone in there. He moved in his chair so he was facing the roaring fire. He was tired a little too, but he didn't want to move. He laid his head back and watched the fire flicker and sputter and he drifted off to sleep.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As soon as Hermione had closed the door to the dormitory and she was alone with the other girls her age, she felt saddened and depressed. She was miserable here. She'd fainted twice in two days, ben attacked by Malfoy, shamelessly flirted with Harry Potter, which she never did, and Ron didn't seem to like her all that much. Hermione loved her, and Harry seemed to be on friend terms quality basis only. Vyk sighed; she wasn't tired at all. She heard the door open and through the gaps in her bed she saw Hermione enter. Vyk lay in bed for a while pretending to be asleep. She heard Hermione's soft breathing, and knew she was no longer awake. Vyk was restless, so in her pajama's she crept down to the common room only to discover Harry curled up in the same armchair fast asleep. Vyk sat down on the ground next to the fire; it was hot, but not too hot. Vyk loved fire, it was her element after all. Vyk could sit for days just watching fire flicker and sway and burn. The gray smoky residue, the red hot sparks, the glowing embers, the sooty ashes, the reds, the oranges, the yellows, the blues, the purples; everything about fire made her warm and fuzzy inside. Vyk reached out to the fire, mesmerized, when a hand caught hers and pulled her back. She snapped out of her trance to find Harry looking at her and clutching her wrist, holding it back.

"Watch it. Fire hurts. Hot." he said. He still seemed tired, but released her hand. Vyk blinked her eyes at him and smiled.

"But once your body experiences a certain amount of physical pain, it turns off and numbs itself. Physical pain goes away with time. And it isn't that hot." She smiled playfully, but kept her hand away from the fire. She liked to play with lighters and run her fingers through the flame, but she knew that the fire in the fireplace was at least ten times as hot as the ones in any lighter. Vyk returned to gazing at the fire. After a while Harry spoke.

"Why aren't you in bed?" He tried to mask the question like he didn't care, but he wasn't good at hiding it. Vyk just replied, "Couldn't sleep." Harry bobbed his head in understanding. They sat there for a long time, eyes glazed over from the flickering firelight. Harry finally moved, he glanced at his watch. He stood up and said, "Late. Going to bed. You should too." He walked to the stairs that led to the boys dormitories.

"By the way." he said as he turned around at the foot of the stairs. Vyk looked back at him. "Nice pajamas." He smiled and walked up the stairs and out of sight. Vyk looked back down at herself, she was wearing a black tank top and a pair of loose comfy black sweat pants. She smiled, and blushed, embarrassed that he'd seen her like that. No one saw her like that, not even her ex-boyfriend. He'd wanted to, sure enough, but Vyk didn't like people looking at her skin. She was hiding herself for that exact reason. She normally always wore long sleeved shirts, except in the summer, and pants. Never shorts, or tank tops, or anything that revealed her skin. She hadn't worn a bathing suit since she was very little, and way before she ever received her scars. Hopefully Harry hadn't seen her scars, and if he did, he didn't say anything about it, which Vyk was thankful for. Vyk stood up, and heard her legs pop. She returned to her room and found her bed with ease, although she'd only been once. She knew her way where ever she was. She sat in bad, and finally drifted off to sleep.

----

Author's Note: Yay! I wrote. I read a really good fanfic, and it inspired me. So...I'm trying to write longer and better, did I achieve this? Hopefully, your opinions are welcomed. Thanks.

-Ash-


End file.
